Tile Terrific
I'm excited to say that I have finally finished the Garden Table I spent the summer working on, for my Sisters 50th Birthday!
Last spring I dug this little wooden table out from the back corner of my yard where it had lived, unused and unwanted for several summers.
I don't recall from which driveway I rescued the table frombut I do recall having brought it home while touring the neighborhood on one of our annual fall "big dump" collection days.
I hosed it off and brought it to the front deck. As I sat there in the spring sun, sucking in the essence and aromas of a summer coming, I was again inspired by the tables overall design and durability.
I had gone a little Tile Wild in my bathroom the summer prior
so I had the balance of a bucket of grout, 6 green tiles my girlfriend had donated to the bathroom cause, a couple of beautiful but (sadly) broken garden pieces from my sisters garden, some broken mirror from my sons room,(as a result of moving things out of our basement during the flooding we experienced in 2010-11) and I had the broken bits of a beautiful Zambuka bottle (believe it or not, that I had acquired from a friends wedding 28 years earlier!!)
I had as a rule kept dried flowers in it, so when I dropped and cracked it I just couldn't bare to throw it away.
Finally I had glass bits and pieces that I had kept in a glass jar since last summer, when my sister gave them to me for use in the TD Summer Reading Program game board I created and constructed.
I couldn't wait to get my bits in a pile.
Over the course of the summer I lovingly and most enjoyable
passed many a summer's eve tiling, grouting, sanding and painting.
The design seemed to form itself into a blue river with a red glass heart at center. The sky was a mix of white tile bits, broken mirror and pieces of a grey and silver plate I took out of the 2nd hand store garbage at back (while I waited for my car repairs)
The garden under the river was largely the Zambuka bottle, already covered with great garden,floral colors, I added in the glass pieces and three butterflies I has salvaged from the broken porcelain garden vases I had gotten from my sister.
I used acrylic paint to spruce up the sides and Fabric paint to give the gold paint another dimension. I gave it a final light spray of acrylic finish and it was good to go!
My Sister loved it
Start with something small like a Mirror or a Clay Pot.
Creating Mosaic Mirrors
Would you like to dress up a room or two without spending a lot of money? Creating unique mosaic mirrors might be right up your alley.
Mosaic Art Supplies
An essential supply when creating this piece of art is a mirror. The only requirement is that the mirror has a flat surface. The mirror itself can be any shape that you like, including round, square, oval, etc.
Choose your tiles. You may prefer to stay within one color range, using complementary colors or picking contrasting colors. You can also use old ceramic plates if you like and break them into irregular pieces using a tile or glass nipper. In fact, you can create irregular shapes using this tool on your tile pieces as well.
You will need a bonding agent like a ceramic tile adhesive, silicone or regular glue. Check labels before you purchase your bonding agent to make sure that your tiles, whether glass or ceramic, will adhere to your mirror.
You will also need grout to fill between your tiles. Grout comes in different colors, so pick the one that you think would look best on your mosaic. You may also be able to find pre-mixed grout if you don't want to fuss with mixing it yourself.
Creating Mosaic Mirrors
If you want your mirror to have a specific pattern, draw the pattern on the mirror using a pencil. Make sure that you keep track of where your different colors will be placed, particularly if your pattern is complex.
You can apply your bonding agent in two ways. If you are using a random pattern, lay your glue in small areas, using a spatula or putty knife. If you are following a pattern, it might be easier to glue your tile piece by piece.
After your project is complete, let it dry according to your bonding agent's instructions.
Mosaic Art Supplies
An essential supply when creating this piece of art is a mirror. The only requirement is that the mirror has a flat surface. The mirror itself can be any shape that you like, including round, square, oval, etc.
Choose your tiles. You may prefer to stay within one color range, using complementary colors or picking contrasting colors. You can also use old ceramic plates if you like and break them into irregular pieces using a tile or glass nipper. In fact, you can create irregular shapes using this tool on your tile pieces as well.
You will need a bonding agent like a ceramic tile adhesive, silicone or regular glue. Check labels before you purchase your bonding agent to make sure that your tiles, whether glass or ceramic, will adhere to your mirror.
You will also need grout to fill between your tiles. Grout comes in different colors, so pick the one that you think would look best on your mosaic. You may also be able to find pre-mixed grout if you don't want to fuss with mixing it yourself.
Creating Mosaic Mirrors
If you want your mirror to have a specific pattern, draw the pattern on the mirror using a pencil. Make sure that you keep track of where your different colors will be placed, particularly if your pattern is complex.
You can apply your bonding agent in two ways. If you are using a random pattern, lay your glue in small areas, using a spatula or putty knife. If you are following a pattern, it might be easier to glue your tile piece by piece.
After your project is complete, let it dry according to your bonding agent's instructions.
Mix your grout according to its instructions. Fill in all of the cracks between your tiles. Gently wipe away any excess grout with a clean, damp sponge. Rinse out the sponge. Let the grout sit for about 20 minutes and wipe the mosaic down again to remove any chalky residue. Let your mosaic dry completely based on your grout's instructions.
You now have a mosaic masterpiece that you created yourself.
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